WHAT WERE POPULAR FORMS OF MUSIC, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, SONGS, COMPOSERS, AND MUSICIANS IN SHAKESPEARE'S ENGLAND? HOW WERE THESE DIFFERENT IN URBAN/RURAL LIFE? HOW WERE THESE DIFFERENT IN NOBLE/MERCHANT/COMMON LIFE?
Answer prepared by Kendall R.
Music played a very important part in people's lives in Shakespeare's England. There were many popular forms of music during this time such as ballads or songs that narrate short stories, rounds, also known as a catch, and church music. According to Linda Alchin from the webpage Elizabethan Music, music played such a big part in people's lives that musical literacy was expected in polite society. Many times wealthier people sometimes hired musicians to play during dinner and major towns had official musicians known as waits. Waits sometimes gave free public concerts at the Royal Exchange in London, the center of commerce, after 7 PM on Sundays and holidays.
However most people were not able to hire musicians and so they made their own music by playing instruments or singing since many people could play an instrument. People who were well raised could usually play or sing a piece of music on sight. According to Peter Chrisp, author of Eyewitness Books: Shakespeare, popular instruments of the upper class included the lute, the orginals, the viol, and the recorder in contrast to the popular instruments among the common folk including the bagpipe and the fiddle. Ringing of the church bells was also a popular form of entertainment. Public music was also popular and was often played on loud instruments like the shawm and sackbut. Popular composers of the time included John Dowland, Thomas Campion, Thomas Morley, Robert Johnson, and Thomas Weelkes. The most popular song from this time period was Greensleeves by Thomas Morley according to Michael Best, author of the webpage Elizabethan Court Musicians.
Music from Shakespeare's England varied between the different classes and between urban and rural areas in many ways. The upper class could afford to hire musicians whereas the lower class played their own music. The types of music varied; instruments for the upper class were more elegant, well crafted, and usually had designs on them as well. Instruments for the lower class were not as well made and were more practical. Overall the difference in music between the classes is very great but no matter what class, music played a huge part in everyone's lives. This video is a recording of the most popular song from the time period: Greensleeves by Thomas Morley. This version is performed by Francis Cutting. The pictures shown are of the popular instrument the lute.
This is a picture of another popular instrument, the viol. As you can see it is very similar to the violin.
Works Cited Alchin, Linda. "Elizabethan Music." Elizabethan Era. N.p., 3/20/2008. Web. 4 Apr 2010. <http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-music.htm>. Best, Michael. "Elizabethan Court Musicians." Internet Shakespeare Editions. Internet Shakespeare Editions, 11/2005. Web. 7 Apr 2010. <http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/literature/courtmusicians.html>. Chrisp, Peter. Eyewitness Books: Shakespeare. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2002. 24-25, 40-45. Print. Picard, Liza. Elizabeth's London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003. 221-224. Print. Roberts, Russell. How'd They Do That In Elizabethan England. Great Britain: Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc., 2010. 45. Print. Singman, Jeffery L.. Daily Life in Elizabethan England. Westport,CT: Greenwood Press, 1995. 150-153, 170. Print
Answer prepared by Kendall R.
Music played a very important part in people's lives in Shakespeare's England. There were many popular forms of music during this time such as ballads or songs that narrate short stories, rounds, also known as a catch, and church music. According to Linda Alchin from the webpage Elizabethan Music, music played such a big part in people's lives that musical literacy was expected in polite society. Many times wealthier people sometimes hired musicians to play during dinner and major towns had official musicians known as waits. Waits sometimes gave free public concerts at the Royal Exchange in London, the center of commerce, after 7 PM on Sundays and holidays.
However most people were not able to hire musicians and so they made their own music by playing instruments or singing since many people could play an instrument. People who were well raised could usually play or sing a piece of music on sight. According to Peter Chrisp, author of Eyewitness Books: Shakespeare, popular instruments of the upper class included the lute, the orginals, the viol, and the recorder in contrast to the popular instruments among the common folk including the bagpipe and the fiddle. Ringing of the church bells was also a popular form of entertainment. Public music was also popular and was often played on loud instruments like the shawm and sackbut. Popular composers of the time included John Dowland, Thomas Campion, Thomas Morley, Robert Johnson, and Thomas Weelkes. The most popular song from this time period was Greensleeves by Thomas Morley according to Michael Best, author of the webpage Elizabethan Court Musicians.
Music from Shakespeare's England varied between the different classes and between urban and rural areas in many ways. The upper class could afford to hire musicians whereas the lower class played their own music. The types of music varied; instruments for the upper class were more elegant, well crafted, and usually had designs on them as well. Instruments for the lower class were not as well made and were more practical. Overall the difference in music between the classes is very great but no matter what class, music played a huge part in everyone's lives. This video is a recording of the most popular song from the time period: Greensleeves by Thomas Morley. This version is performed by Francis Cutting. The pictures shown are of the popular instrument the lute.
Works Cited Alchin, Linda. "Elizabethan Music." Elizabethan Era. N.p., 3/20/2008. Web. 4 Apr 2010. <http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-music.htm>. Best, Michael. "Elizabethan Court Musicians." Internet Shakespeare Editions. Internet Shakespeare Editions, 11/2005. Web. 7 Apr 2010. <http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/literature/courtmusicians.html>. Chrisp, Peter. Eyewitness Books: Shakespeare. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2002. 24-25, 40-45. Print. Picard, Liza. Elizabeth's London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003. 221-224. Print. Roberts, Russell. How'd They Do That In Elizabethan England. Great Britain: Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc., 2010. 45. Print. Singman, Jeffery L.. Daily Life in Elizabethan England. Westport,CT: Greenwood Press, 1995. 150-153, 170. Print